Grace
by Rai Novak
Summary: Dean falls for an angel, who is falling to earth.


Cas, no. Don't look at that. Just close my computer." Dean was concerned for the innocence of his friend. The angel tilted his head, not certain why he was being scolded. "I have heard you talk about 'Busty Asian Beauties' on multiple occasions, and felt left out. I decided to see for myself." Dean pulled himself up off the hotel room couch, cringing as he took a step on his broken ankle. He hobbled over to the computer across the room and closed the laptop.

"Dean, are you sure you don't want me to heal that for you?" Cas' eyes were, as always, staring into Dean's. Sometimes it was uncomfortable how his partner never blinked when they were talking, like he was entranced by something he knew so well. It reminded him of the way Lisa used to look at him. The devotion in their eyes was the same, simple love. It's not like Castiel and him would ever be together. Dean was many things, but gay was not one of them, was it? He shook the thought, embarrassed by his feelings.

"Yeah, it's just an ankle, nothing much. Sam insisted on hitting this town by himself, so I can get a break without feeling bad. If you want to help, can you get me a beer from the fridge?" The man nodded, and quickly went into the kitchen. Dean eased himself onto the couch, letting his body go limp. The pain felt good, in a strange way. It took his mind off of the fact that his brother may be in mortal danger with no one to watch his back. Carefully, so as not to hurt himself more, he grabbed the television remote and fell asleep to the beginning of "The Princess Bride".

"Anybody want a peanut?" The tv gently woke Dean, who turned over to face the table. He could vaguely see the movie, although his vision was blurred with drowsiness. He reached out for his beer but grabbed only air. He sat up, his head swimming with confusion. Cas always does what he is told without a second of hesitation. He looked around the hotel room. As his vision cleared, he saw someone laying on the floor of the small kitchen. Panic swept through his veins as he jumped to his feet. "Cas! Cas, you ok?" Pain shot up his leg as he ran to the kitchen. The window had shattered, the clear glass painted with the long dry blood of his friend. A sound escaped Dean's lips, not in terror or surprize, but pure concern. He dropped to the floor beside Cas. "Wake up buddy. Come on, pull through for me!" With that, he found a pair of blue eyes staring back at him.

"I'm here, Dean." he moaned softly. "Cas! You... You're ok!" They just stared at each other, for some time, not sure what to say. Cas' hair looked messy and free, his eyes blue as the sky he fell from for Dean, and his lips. Dean mostly looked at the lips. Pink and soft and... Kissable. No, no, that can't be right. Dean is as straight as... "I feel strange without my trenchcoat. Can you get it for me?" The perfect voice of Castiel sharply pulled him back to reality. "Oh, yeah, yeah sure." Dean forgot about his broken ankle as he heaved himself up to the trenchcoat which appeared to be glowing and magically suspended. Confused, he glanced back at the angel on the floor. Still, he did as he was asked. As he took the coat, he realized it was on a small sapling, glowing with a gentle and comforting warmth that felt angelic. Cas gave his friend a weak, knowing smile before he lost consciousness. Cas was disoriented. Falling from any height makes your head ache, but falling from heaven gives a pain that some can't survive. Colors blended with each other, creating a psychedelic painting of reality. He just stared up at the ceiling, waiting for his head to clear. Colors replaced thoughts emerging from the back of his brain. He abandoned his own family for a man who may not even love him back. Then again, he was doing the work of God. But he was doing the work of God for a man, was that right? He looked around the room for that man. Dean was not around, which was a great disappointment. On top of that, the room was dark, not light as he last remembered. The only light was the sapling his grace manifested itself into, now sitting in a small clay pot on the table. He was laying in a bed, with clean clothes, a cool towel on his forehead, and the familiar smell of beer and leather came from next to him. "Dean." The sheets rustled as the man turned over. Dean was sitting on the edge of the bed, clearly wanting to be closer, but something was holding him back. "Good, you're awake." Dean smiled as the joyous words left his lips.

"I brought you some pie. I didn't know which kind you liked, so I brought you apple. Everyone loves apple pie." He winked as he stood up to get the plate from the table. "Dean, wait." He stopped immediately and turned to face his friend. "Yeah, what do you need?" Cas removed the towel from his forehead and propped himself up awkwardly. "Why are you doing this for me? The towel, washing my clothes, giving me your most treasured possession?" Dean clutched his necklace before chuckling. "No, Cas, pie is not my most treasured possession. I figured out some things while you were alseep. I'm cleverer than I look. In the time you were out, I figured out what this tree is. Your grace. You must have fallen for heaven. And I know you Cas, and there are only so many reasons you would have done that. I am trying to return the favor." Cas simply grinned "To repay me, there is only one thing you can do." "And that is?" Don't hide certain feelings from me. I know what you have been thinking lately. I'm cleverer than I look." Dean hobbled over to the bed and kissed Cas, his lips even softer than he had dreamed. He pulled away sharply. "Dean, is there something wrong?" Shaking his head, he replied,

"No, it's just that I don't care what species you are, you always will be my angel. Oh god, we just had a damn hallmark moment." They stared for a moment, and without breaking eye contact, Cas pulled a card out from the nightstand drawer. A cartoon angel was painted on the cover with the golden letters 'I'm Falling For You.' Written on the front. Dean scowled. "Did you?" Laying back, his friend responded, "I was given a choice: Be a soldier or do the job I was made to do. To serve, protect, watch over, and love mankind. That is what I chose. I chose it for you, Winchester." Dean felt his cheeks grow hot. An angel gave up his power and left his own family for him. All the destruction, pain, death, suffering he has caused, and someone still believed in him. Someone cared about him. He lay down next to his friend and said,

"I'll make it worth it, I promise." He curled around the warm body, putting his arm over the trench coat, loosening the neck tie even more. "I'll protect you too." A grumpy mammoth of a man swung open the hotel room door to find a clean unit. No beer bottles, no pie tins, just a glowing tree in a clay pot and a hole in the kitchen floor. He at first didn't think his brother was there until he found him spooning with his angel friend. "About time." he muttered as he sank into his bed. "About time for what?" Sam leaped up, startled at the presence of another voice in his bed. Gabriel lay seductively on the bed. "Last night was great, and I wanted to come back for more." The angel emphasized this with a wink and patted the bed beside him. Dean woke up to see that Sam was home. He was about to shift out of the bed when he saw that his brother had an angel of his own. "Sammy," he began, but was cut off. "Dean, I won't say anything if you won't." "Deal."


End file.
